Geological sample trays



Oct. 15, 1963 W, DARAKOS v 3,106,788

GEOLOGICAI.. SAMPLE TRAYS Filed Nov. 15, 1962 INVENTOR William Durnkos United States Patent O 3,106,7SS GEGLGGHCAL AMiLE TRAYS Wiliiam Daraltos, 481.5 Center Ave., Pittsburgh i3, la. Filed Nov. l5, 1962, Ser. No. 237,396 4J Claims. (Cl. 35-50) This invention relates to geological sample trays and particularly to a geological sample tray for preparation and microscopic examination of :geological specimens. it is common practice in geological examination of mineral specimens and the like to Wash them and then inspect them under a microscope to determine color, `grain size and other physical characteristics. This practice has in the past required a multiplicity of .specimen holders and a sheet of color :chips against which comparison of Ithe sample for color might be made.

The present invention provides a igeochrornatic tray which overcomes all of these problems. I provide an annular tray hav-ing an outer peripheral annui-ar Wall and `an inner annular wall `defining la well through the taxis of the tray, a plurality of vertical radial ribs dividing said tray into separate sample compartments, said ribs extending above the outer 'and inner Wal-ls, lan outer mov-able, ring carrying side by side color `comparator strips, said ring being rotatable labout the outer rWall of the tray. lreferably said ring is lmounted on extrusions on the ribs of the annular tray about the outer Wall. Preferably the well formed by the inner Wall is adapted to receive a cap trnember carrying supplementary color charts, porosity `chart or some similar physical comparison device. The radial ribs ,are raised -above the general level of the inner and outer walls -in order to prevent sample contamination during Washing of the individual samples. The ribs also extend over the upper edge of these Walls to prevent the Water from curling yaround the rib into the `adjacent compartment. The open center well provides an `outlet for `free passage of water when Washing samples and provides a receptacle for a comparator device.

In the foregoing general description, certain objects, purposes and ladvantages of this invention have been described. Other objects, advantages and purposes of this invention Iwill be apparent lfrom a yconsidera-tion of the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE `1 is a top plan view of a geological sample tray according to this invention;

'FIGURE 2 is a section on the line ll--ll of FIGUR-E l;

`FIGURE 3 is 1an enlarged fragmentary view of the outer ring support `for the sample tray of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the Well cap and support of FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a second embodiment of this invention.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated an annular tray having la bottom it), an inner wall il and an outer wall 12. The interior of the tray is divided into a plurality of compartments by radial ribs i3. Each of the ribs .i3 extends above the level of the inner 1l. and outer 12 Walls and the ends i3d and 13b extend over the top of said Walls to clearly delineate the compartments and prevent any carryover from one compartment to another. Samples `of minerais, ores or the like 1d are placed in the compartments and may be lWashed or chemically treated in situ providing the tray is made of =a suitable transparent non-reactive resin or plastic material.

The inner Wall il delines an opening or well 1S through which Water may be exhausted during washing. A comparator cap ltr carrying grain size charts 17 or other cornparator information is removably inserted into the well i5 when `the samples 14 are being examined microscopically so as to provide a convenient comparison. Preferably the ends la of ribs :13` lare notched or provided with a sloping surface to receive cap i6.

The `outer ends 13b of ribs 13 are similarly notched or sloped to receive ian outer ring 18 carrying radial mineralogical color chart segments 19 on both sides thereof. The rin-g i8 may lbe rotated to bring the desired colored segment 19 into juxtaposition Iwith any given sample-14 under study. Preferably the .ring l is made up of a transparent, acid resistant and heat resistant plastic having the color charts sealed within it.

ln FIGURE 5 there is illustrated a second embodiment of the invention. ln this embodiment there is provided `annular tray having a bottom 3l, -an inner Wall 32 and 4an outer wall 33 slightly higher than inner Wall 32. The tray is divided into compartments by radial ribs 34 Which extend over the inner Wall 32 land outer Wall 33. A support ring 35 is provided on the outer Wall 35 to carry rotatable comparator ring 36 which carries color chart seg- `ments 37. A cap 33` is removably carried in notches 39 on ribs 34. The cap 3S carries a comparator chart which may be grain size, color or other like chart.

In the foregoing description there is set out cer-tain preferred embodiments of this invention. It will be understood, however, that this invention may be otherwise ernbodied Within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A geological sample tray comprising an annular tray having a bottom, an outer peripheral wall and an inner rwall defining a well through the `axis of the tray, a plurality of vertical radial ribs dividing said tray into Water- -tight compartments, said ribs extending rabove the outer and inner walls and an outer movable ring carrying side by side comparator segments rotatable about the outer Wall of the tray.

2. A lgeological sample tray as claimed in cla-im 1 wherein the `outer movable ring is slidable on a cut out portion of the ends of the ribs above the outer Wall.

3. A geological sample tray as claimed in claim 1 wherein an annular support means surrounds the outer Wall of the tray and is lixed thereto, Iand the outer movable ring is supported by `and movable on said support means.

4. A `geological sample tray as icl-aimed in claim 1 Wherein a removable cap is supported on the inner ends of the radi-al ribs above the Well and said cap carries supplementaiy comparator ind-icia.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,878,590 Dodge Mar. 24, 1959 

1. A GEOLOGICAL SAMPLE TRAY COMPRISING AN ANNULAR TRAY HAVING A BOTTOM, AN OUTER PERIPHERAL WALL AND AN INNER WALL DEFINING A WELL THROUGH THE AXIS OF THE TRAY, A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL RADIAL RIBS DIVIDING SAID TRAY INTO WATERTIGHT COMPARTMENTS, SAID RIBS EXTENDING ABOVE THE OUTER AND INNER WALLS AND AN OUTER MOVABLE RING CARRYING SIDE 